Meeting deadlines and sewing

It has been a really busy couple of weeks with different projects under way. My hat got finished yesterday and the fingerless mittens will be started tomorrow. Not quite sure which two colours to choose for that design. Orange and white, or perhaps the tan and white. But then the aqua and white would also look nice. Decisions, decisions.

The hat fits snuggly and I am looking forward to being able to wear it in the colder weather. I decided not to add a pompom to the top since I really don't like them.

The two blouses got finished and I wore the collarless one with my new culottes the other day. It was really comfy, though I added a waistcoat since it is somewhat sheer. I really should remember to stand up straight when taking photos. The collared shirt is also ready to wear, though it is rather more formal and I haven't had an opportunity to wear it yet. As you can see from the photo, I really need to wear a waistcoat with it, or a suitable pinafore dress. Another couple of pinafore dresses are in my list of things to make, but they will have to wait for a while since I do have some other items to finish first.

I've cut out a sleeveless top - the Malia top and also the Dolores skirt from the first English edition of La Maison Victor magazine. It was published earlier in the summer and I have been really interested in how they fit.

The skirt will be made in a bright blue floral print, while the Malia top has been cut out of the fabric remaining from my recently completed culottes.

The interesting thing about this design is the gathering of fabric under the bust dart. The crepe de chine I am using should hang really well since it is very soft.

This little piece of felt was made for a challenge for the Pinfold group. I can't share the completed design with you since the owner of that book hasn't seen it yet. This particular challenge is a really interesting one since everyone has such different themes for their books. Each is a sketchbook just eight inches square with a spiral binding. We each get to see the work completed by each member of the group before the book is passed to the next person. I really loved the pages added by Meryl to my own book, but forgot to take any photos before the book was passed to the next person. I should be able to see what they have done next month. I really must remember to take my camera......

Oh, I did complete the alterations to the dress purchased by my daughter. It needed to be taken in a couple of sizes since it really was too big for her. A halter neck, beaded dress with a full lining was quite a task. A really interesting challenge which is now waiting to be worn at her friend's wedding next weekend.

Making progress - but slowly

Found this beautifully marked feather in the garden this week. I just had to rescue it. It looks to have come from the partial albino Blackbird which visits the garden from time to time.

Free machine embroidery under way.

Front view

 The free machine quilting has continued this week with the third of my four pieces now under way. This one is bigger than the previous two being 16" wide by 19" long (40.5cm by 48cm). A useful size, I haven't quite decided what to use it for.

At the moment it looks rather distorted since I haven't added all the stitching yet, as you can see in this photo of the reverse side.

Current back view

The knitting is continuing. I have almost finished the body and am now on the ribbing at the bottom edge.



 The colours make more sense when you see Ella's colouring. I chose her as the inspiration for the colours I used.

Crazy patchwork challenge

My crazy patchwork piece now just needs the edges tidying up and a border added. The cat buttons have been in my collection for rather a long time so it was nice to be able them here.

Sketchbook challenge - MEG

 I have also been adding bits and pieces to my Ideas Book. This was started as a challenge for the MEG group. I really need to get back into feltmaking again, so I added a series of sheep cartoons. I have samples of wool from each of these breeds ready to felt. Since I hadn't got much idea what these breeds looked like, I decided to find out and develop cartoons to help me recognise them. There are many more breeds of sheep than are shown here. This is a project where I still have rather a lot to do, even before I get started with the felting.

More sewing, knitting and planning

Offcuts from the workshop packs

I'm still working on getting as many packs as I can prepared ready for the workshop in November. Yes, I am rather ahead of myself, but it takes rather a time to get all the fabric packs set up. There is a lot of ironing on bondaweb, cutting fabrics and so on. The collection above is my growing pile of scraps. All the bits that are just that little bit too small. All useful since they have been bondawebbed. Hence the growing collection of made fabrics where I am collecting the scraps together to make useable and useful pieces which could make something.

Green-yellow fabrics

Yellow - blue fabrics

The resulting fabrics are a little too stiff to use for much. project bags and bookcovers have been made before. Perhaps some cushion covers.  All of the three made so far need to be stitched to reinforce the surface. I think I will probably add some fusible wadding to add some texture when stitched.

Green - blue fabrics

 I must admit I really enjoy the stitching bit, although it does take rather a time to complete. Speaking of stitching. I finally completed the sketchbook cover which I mentioned last time. I chose a piece of fabric which I had painted, bonded to fusible wadding and then stitched,

Completed sketchbook cover

Almost completed Colibri jumper

 The Colibri jumper is now almost finished. I just have a few ends to sew in. Next, I shall need to find a young friend to wear it. One of the things to be completed after finishing a test knit is to complete a questionnaire to give the designer some feedback about the design and any errors before the design is finally published. It has been a really interesting process.

Almost complete Lanesplitter

 I've also been getting on with this skirt. It has languished in my project bag for a few weeks. I have never made a knitted skirt before, so it has been quite interesting making this one. The design is a free one from Knitty which you can find here.

The fabric pieces below belong to a challenge which I need to get on with. I still haven't decided what to make yet.

Not much sewing going on, but plenty of knitting.

The sketchbook with possible fabric cover materials.

For one of the textile groups I go to there is a sketchbook challenge. My book has been hanging around for some weeks now. The fabrics beneath may become the cover.

The front page 

Some dyed kitchen paper has been stuck onto the front page ready for a caption. This can wait until I really understand what I will be using this sketchbook for. The challenge is going to be an interesting one since I don't normally work from a sketchbook. I sometimes draw things out first, but then it is usually only elements rather than the whole design.

The first stage of our challenge is to start the sketchbook before our next meeting. Then we will learn from Debbie, one of the members, who will be leading us through this topic. After the front page I have used some of the more interesting pieces of Orizomegami, placing a large sheet under some holes cut in a page.

"Portholes" showing part of the following page.

The portholes page was inspired by a comment made in a Blog I read last week, I just loved the idea of cutting holes in one of the pages to show part of a design on the following page. It might be something worth pursuing in fabric at some stage. So far my sketchbook seems to be a collection of ideas which might be used at some time.

Pear blossom

The garden seems to be very busy at the moment with a lot of blossom on all the fruit trees. It will be interesting to see whether any of this turns into fruit later in the year.

Apple blossom

Sadly, the local weather forecast seems to be predicting frost. Ah well, I can enjoy the blossom while ti lasts.

Plum tree 

The little garden building down at the bottom corner still hasn't got it's windows. Perhaps this will happen at some stage this year.

Test knitting under way

The knitting has continued during the week with the first sleeve to be started later this evening. It has knit on circular needles. The stitches for the sleeve are currently waiting on the same circular needle. The jumper has been knitted from the top down. I'll let you know when the pattern will be available. I really love the design around the shoulders. This size is age two years, so is only small. Quite an enjoyable knit.

Completing UFOs, making plans and plodding along

Daffodils in the garden

Everything seems to have started growing in the garden. It is lovely to see some bright colour outside.

Crocuses

Work has continued over the past few days on the weaving theme. You will see a sample of a woven pocket in the next photo. The sketchbook belongs to the challenge starting soon for the MEG group. I am looking forward to getting this one started. I don't normally use a sketchbook, preferring to jot things down in my notebook, so it will be interesting to get some guidance on how to put one together and then begin to use it.

I treated myself to a sewing magazine this morning, so will probably end up tempted to make something else. Unfortunately, my list of things to sew seems to be getting longer. I have now cut out the lining pieces for my Cocoon coat, but it has got no nearer to completion. I keep getting tempted to do a bit more with the weaving project. The first draft of the instructions has been written. It remains to be seen whether the directions and illustrations make any sense. 

The pdf pattern belongs to this design from "Sew Now" issue 3. I need to find some nice denim or fine corduroy to make this. Years ago I had a pair of dungarees which I really loved wearing. This is a more practical item of clothing for me these days. I just love those pockets.

Pinafore design in issue 3 of "Sew Now".

I did mention finishing UFOs in my title. Last time I mentioned a piece of embroidery but didn't show it. 

This is it. I only have the scissor keeper to embroider now, then I will be able to get the whole thing assembled. It has only been in my UFO pile for a few years. Embarrassingly I cannot now remember exactly how many years it has been languishing. The finished size of the closed Etui will be 3.5 inches square, so it really is rather small to have lain unfinished for so long. The brown felt shown behind the embroidered pieces will be used for the lining and the needlecase pages.

The designer, Sue Hawkins is a very talented and her work is really colourful. I couldn't resist it when I saw this little kit, which is why I am getting on with it now. There will be a needle case inside, and somewhere to stash a small pair of scissors inside the back cover, also a neat little thimble case which is to be attached to the scissors on a long cord. A rather useful item for my hand-stitching projects. I just need to find a nice sharp pair of embroidery scissors to keep inside it. 

My idea this year, is to get on with the rather large number of unfinished projects which have been lying around. Some may end up being drastically redesigned. My interests have changed rather a lot over the years. I'd like to use up at least some of the yarn I have collected, and then there is my rather too large stash of fabric.............. I must check to see if I already have something I could use up for that pinafore dress.......... Now that really would be sensible.

Do have fun with your own projects.